[Michlib-l] [Everyone] National Park Service Withdraws From Michigan Activity Pass Program

[Jim Flury]

All,

We have gotten a number of questions from library staff and patrons regarding the withdrawal of the seven National Park Service sites from the Michigan Activity Pass program. In light of this I thought I would offer a bit of background information. 

The NPS has since September 1, 2015 operated a program called Every Kid In a Park https://www.everykidinapark.gov/ The goal of the program, in conjunction with the 100 year NPS anniversary this year, is to provide an opportunity for each and every 4th grade student across the country to experience their federal public lands and waters in person throughout the 2015-2016 school year. Officially the EKIP program ends August 31, 2016. Unofficially we have heard that the EKIP program will be renewed for an additional year and perhaps, multiple years beyond. We have no official word regarding an extension of the EKIP program beyond the current expiration ate of August 31, 2016.

The EKIP program's sole focus is 4th grade students. The student is asked to follow the directions at https://www.everykidinapark.gov/ to create and print their EKIP pass. Of course this means that a parent is going to be involved, too for purposes of transportation to the venue, etc. But outreach to 4th grade students is the specific goal here.

The MAP program's focus is more broad. A valid library card is the key to taking advantage of all MAP has to offer.

The seven NPS sites in Michigan joined MAP on May 24, 2016. The difficulty involved trying to meld together two programs with different target audiences and goals. Library patrons of all ages have become accustomed to reserving and printing a MAP pass and receiving in exchange whatever benefit is spelled out by the venue on the printed MAP pass. The NPS requires that MAP patrons comply with the 4th grade focus of the program, and in addition to the printed MAP pass, that they also print and present the EKIP pass at its venues. These two requirements combined to create confusion and difficulty for NPS staff, library staff, and TLN staff too, as we get many of the questions from MAP patrons via our michiganactivitypass at gmail.com account. We, NPS and TLN that is, worked together throughout the summer in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration to come up with language for the MAP passes for the NPS sites that would facilitate the focus and goals of the NPS EKIP program within the MAP program. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts we were unable to reach that sweet spot that met the needs of both programs.

We encourage you to feature the EKIP program link https://www.everykidinapark.gov/ on your library websites, and we would like to thank the National Park Service for their partnership with Michigan's public libraries via the Michigan Activity Pass program during the NPS centennial of Summer, 2016.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding this.

Thanks.

Jim

Jim Flury
Technical Services Manager
The Library Network
41365 Vincenti Court 
Novi, MI 48375
248-536-3100 x133 
Fax 248-536-3098 
jflury at tln.lib.mi.us

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Flury" <jflury at tln.lib.mi.us>
To: "everyone" <everyone at lists.tln.lib.mi.us>, "michlib-l" <michlib-l at lists.mcls.org>, partnerscda at lists.tln.lib.mi.us
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2016 8:45:49 AM
Subject: [Everyone] National Park Service Withdraws From Michigan Activity Pass Program

All,

The National Park Service has elected to withdraw from the Michigan Activity Pass program. Therefore, effective at 7:00 a.m. today, Friday, August 26 I have removed the seven NPS sites from the Michigan Activity Pass website. Library patrons may no longer print new MAP passes for Isle Royale National Park, Keweenaw National Historical Park, MotorCities National Heritage Area, North Country National Scenic Trail, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, River Raisin National Battlefield, and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. MAP passes for these seven venues that are redeemed ONLY under the terms spelled out in the National Park Service Every Kid In a Park program https://www.everykidinapark.gov/ will continue to be honored until the expiration date on the printed MAP pass. Since the MAP software allows passes to be printed 14 days in advance, library patrons may have in their possession MAP passes with expiration dates up until and including, September 9. NPS retains the right to decline the MAP pass at any of its seven Michigan venues that is not redeemed according to the terms and conditions spelled out at https://www.everykidinapark.gov/

We will work to remove the NPS and EKIP logos from the MAP website, as well as from the advanced search function.

TLN would like to thank the National Park Service, via the Every Kid In a Park program, for its partnership with the Michigan Activity Pass program.

Sincerely,

Jim Flury

Jim Flury
Technical Services Manager
The Library Network
41365 Vincenti Court 
Novi, MI 48375
248-536-3100 x133 
Fax 248-536-3098 
jflury at tln.lib.mi.us